The Emerald Coast is an unofficial name for the coastal area in the US state of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico that stretches about 100 miles (160 km) through five counties, Escambia , Santa Rosa , Okaloosa , Walton , and Bay , which include Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Panama City Beach. Some south Alabama communities on the coast of Baldwin County , such as Gulf Shores , Orange Beach , and Fort Morgan embrace the term as well.
65-581: The National Newspaper Association ( NNA ) is a Pensacola, Florida –based non-profit newspaper trade association founded in 1885. The National Newspaper Association was founded by Benjamin Briggs Herbert on February 19, 1885, as the National Editorial Association (NEA) in New Orleans, Louisiana . The NEA's constitution was ratified after a meeting in 1886 and Benjamin Briggs Herbert
130-462: A presidio in the area, from which the modern city gradually developed. The area changed hands several times as European powers competed in North America. During Florida's British rule (1763–1781), fortifications were strengthened. It is nicknamed "The City of Five Flags", due to the five governments that have ruled it during its history: the flags of Spain ( Castile ), France , Great Britain ,
195-420: A base for Spanish efforts to colonize Santa Elena (present-day Parris Island, South Carolina .) But the colony was decimated by a hurricane on September 19, 1559, which killed an unknown number of sailors and colonists, sank six ships, grounded a seventh, and ruined supplies. The survivors struggled to survive, most moving inland to what is now central Alabama for several months in 1560 before returning to
260-477: A bill prohibiting Indians from living in the state, and provided for capture and removal to Indian Territory. While the bill excluded mixed-Indians and those already living in white communities, they went "underground" to escape persecution. No Indians were listed in late 19th and early 20th century censuses for Escambia County. People of Indian descent were forced into the white or black communities by appearance, and officially, in terms of records, "disappeared". It
325-481: A female householder with no husband present, and 40.2% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.92. In 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $ 34,779, and the median income for a family was $ 42,868. Males had a median income of $ 32,258 versus $ 23,582 for females. The per capita income for
390-463: A large number unmarked. Tensions between the white community and Indians tended to increase during the Removal era. In addition, an increasing proportion of Anglo-Americans, who constituted the majority of whites by 1840, led to a hardening of racial discrimination in the area. There was disapproval of white men living with women of color, which had previously been accepted. In 1853 the legislature passed
455-578: A large part of Pensacola's tourism industry. The USS Oriskany was purposefully sunk in 2004 to create an artificial reef off the shores of Pensacola. Emerald Coast Beginning in 1946, for marketing purposes the coast from Fort Walton Beach to Panama City was named the "Playground of the Gulf Coast", as witnessed by the name of the Fort Walton Beach newspaper, the Playground News , later
520-462: A low of 19 °F (−7.2 °C) was seen. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the city was 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985 . Snow is rare in Pensacola, but does occasionally fall. The most recent snowfall event occurred December 9, 2017, and the snow event previous to it occurred on February 12, 2010. The city receives 68.31 in (1,740 mm) of precipitation per year, with
585-612: A major blow on February 23, 2016, when a large EF3 wedge tornado hit the northwest part of Pensacola, causing major damage and several injuries. Pensacola's location on the Florida Panhandle makes it vulnerable to hurricanes. Hurricanes which have made landfall at or near Pensacola since the late 20th century include Eloise (1975) , Frederic (1979) , Juan (1985) , Erin ( 1995 ), Opal ( 1995 ), Georges ( 1998 ), Ivan ( 2004 ), Dennis ( 2005 ), and Sally ( 2020 ). In July 2005, Hurricane Dennis made landfall just east of
650-520: A major trade center. It was a garrison town, predominantly males in the military or trade. Americans made raids into the area, and settlers pressured the federal government to gain control of this territory. In the final stages of the War of 1812 , American troops launched an offensive on Pensacola against the Spanish and British garrisons protecting the city, which surrendered after two days of fighting. Pensacola
715-518: A meeting held at the Staff Restaurant in Fort Walton Beach, for the 100-mile stretch of scenic Highway 98's "fabulous string of motels, hotels and nightspots" from Pensacola to Panama City. Members included representatives of local chambers of commerce. According to the Daily News , the term Emerald Coast was coined in 1983 by a junior high school student, Andrew Dier, who won $ 50 in the contest for
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#1732852459629780-648: A new area slogan. Since then, the term has been expanded by popular usage to cover all of the northwest coast of Florida from Pensacola Beach to Panama City Beach. The area and particularly the beaches along the Emerald Coast from Pensacola to Panama City are also referred to as the "Redneck Riviera", alluding to the strong Southern culture of the hinterland. Popular vacation destinations include Panama City , Pensacola , Pensacola Beach , Gulf Breeze , Navarre , Navarre Beach , Fort Walton Beach , Niceville , WaterColor , Panama City Beach , Destin , and Seaside ,
845-577: A planned community whose iconic pastel-paint and tin-roof construction was made famous in the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show , filmed in the area from 1996–1997. Other communities on the Emerald Coast are Perdido Key , Sandestin , Mexico Beach , Grayton Beach , Inlet Beach , and Santa Rosa Beach . The area is a family drive destination, attracting tourists from across the Southern United States due to its close proximity. The Emerald Coast
910-774: A simplified logo reading Destin Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This aligns with the renaming of the Northwest Florida Regional Airport to the Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport in February 2015. This part of Florida is home to numerous military bases, with installations including Naval Air Station Pensacola (home of the Navy's Blue Angels demonstration team and the initial training site for all naval aviators), Hurlburt Field , Eglin Air Force Base (one of
975-450: A slightly more rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 7.89 in (200 mm), with May being the driest month at 3.90 in (99 mm). In June 2012 over one foot (300 mm) of rain fell on Pensacola and adjacent areas, leading to widespread flooding. On April 29, 2014, Pensacola was drenched by at least 20 inches of rain within a 24-hour period, causing the worst flooding in 30 years. The city suffered
1040-546: A temporary lack of affordable housing in the Pensacola real estate market, and Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Katrina contributed to a general scarcity of construction labor and resources along the Gulf Coast . In September 2020, Pensacola suffered heavy damage by Hurricane Sally . Damages in Escambia County were estimated by local officials at $ 29 million. Downtown Pensacola was flooded. Pensacola's first appearance in
1105-417: Is a three-hour drive east of New Orleans . In the first decade of the 21st century, the popularity of the Emerald Coast expanded greatly, leading to new construction and rapid growth. Many development communities similar to Seaside sprang up in the southern part of Walton County and at the western end of Panama City Beach, raising property values. Deep-sea fishing is an area attraction, with Destin holding
1170-516: Is held annually in November in Seville Square, and often draws more than 200 regional and international artists. The Children's Art Festival, also held in Seville Square, displays art by local schoolchildren. Pensacon is a comic convention held each February, with nearly 25,000 attendees from around the world. The Pensacola Interstate Fair is held each fall. Scuba diving and deep sea fishing are
1235-418: Is situated north of the city center. The area was originally inhabited by Muskogean-speaking peoples. The Pensacola people lived there at the time of European contact, and Creek people frequently visited and traded from present-day southern Alabama and Mississippi and southeast of Louisiana . Spanish explorer Tristán de Luna founded a short-lived settlement in 1559. In 1698 the Spanish established
1300-472: Is sloped up northward from Pensacola Bay, with most of the city at an elevation above that which a potential hurricane storm surge could affect. Weather statistics since the late 20th century have been recorded at the airport. The city has seen single digit temperatures (below −12 °C) on three occasions: 5 °F (−15 °C) on January 21, 1985 ; 7 °F (−14 °C) on February 13, 1899 ; and 8 °F (−13 °C) on January 11, 1982. According to
1365-649: Is stationed in Pensacola. Naval Air Station Pensacola hosted the commissioning ceremony of the United States Navy 's newest amphibious transport dock , the USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) on September 7, 2024. The ceremony featured Shana McCool, the granddaughter of Richard M. McCool Jr. , Shana served as the ship's sponsor. Notable attendees included the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations . LPD 29
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#17328524596291430-613: Is the 13th ship of the San Antonio-class to be commissioned in the United States Navy and is the first vessel to bear the namesake of Richard M. McCool Jr. Pensacola is home to a number of annual festivals , events, historic tours, and landmarks. The Pensacola Seafood Festival and the Pensacola Crawfish Festival have been held for nearly 30 years in the city's historic downtown. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival
1495-596: The Köppen climate classification system, Pensacola has a humid subtropical climate , ( Köppen Cfa ), with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Typical summer conditions have highs in the lower 90s °F (32–34 °C) and lows in the mid 70s °F (23–24 °C). Afternoon or evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Due partly to the coastal location, temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are relatively rare, and last occurred in June 2011, when two of
1560-525: The Pensacola Bay area were Native American peoples. At the time of European contact, a Muskogean -speaking tribe known to the Spanish as the Pensacola , lived in the region. This name was not recorded until 1677, but the tribe appears to be the source of the name "Pensacola" for the bay and thence the city. Creek people , also Muskogean-speaking, came regularly from present-day southern Alabama to trade, so
1625-609: The Playground Daily News , and now the Northwest Florida Daily News . In 1952, this stretch of coast was dubbed the "Miracle Strip" by Claude Jenkins, a local journalist. The term was reflected in the former Miracle Strip Amusement Park , its successor Miracle Strip at Pier Park and other local businesses. The name "Miracle Strip" was officially adopted by 35 officials and members of three district Florida Motor Courts Association chapters on March 14, 1956, at
1690-566: The Seven Years' War ), and French cession of its territories in North America. The British designated Pensacola as the capital of their new colony of West Florida . From 1763, the British strengthened defenses around the mainland area of fort San Carlos de Barrancas , building the Royal Navy Redoubt. George Johnstone was appointed as the first British Governor, and in 1764 a colonial assembly
1755-583: The Southern colonies to come to Florida as a refuge, promising freedom in exchange for conversion to Catholicism . Most went to the area around St. Augustine , but escaped slaves also reached Pensacola. After years of settlement, the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in 1763 as a result of an exchange following British victory over both France and Spain in the French and Indian War (the North American theater of
1820-868: The United States of America , and the Confederate States of America . Other nicknames include "World's Whitest Beaches" (due to the white sand of Florida panhandle beaches), "Cradle of Naval Aviation", "Western Gate to the Sunshine State", "America's First Settlement", " Emerald Coast ", " Redneck Riviera ", and "P-Cola". [REDACTED] Spanish Empire 1559–1719, 1722–1763 and 1781–1821 [REDACTED] French Empire 1719–1722 [REDACTED] British Empire 1763–1781 [REDACTED] United States 1821–1861 [REDACTED] Confederate States of America 1861–1865 [REDACTED] United States 1865 to present The original inhabitants of
1885-589: The City of Pensacola in previous referendums, they largely identify as residents of Pensacola. Examples of these CDPs include Goulding , Ferry Pass , Ensley , Bellview , Myrtle Grove , Warrington , and West Pensacola. According to the United States Census Bureau , Pensacola has a total area of 40.7 sq mi (105.4 km ), consisting of 22.5 sq mi (58.4 km ) of land and 18.1 sq mi (47.0 km ), 44.62%, water. The land
1950-433: The Pensacola area from southern Alabama after Indian removal of the 1830s. In 1908, a citywide streetcar strike occurred in the city , this led to state militia being stationed in the city and martial law being declared. Pensacola is located on the north side of Pensacola Bay . It is 59 mi (95 km) east of Mobile, Alabama , and 196 mi (315 km) west of Tallahassee , the capital of Florida . Although
2015-560: The Three Mile Bridge. Over $ 6 billion in damage occurred in the metro area and more than 10,000 homes were destroyed, with another 27,000 heavily damaged. 105,000 households in Northwest Florida were impacted in some way by the storm, and 4,300 businesses in the area permanently closed as a result of Hurricane Ivan. NASA created a comparison image to illustrate the massive damage. This widespread destruction of property caused
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2080-506: The U.S. Census dataset was in 1850, with a total recorded population of 2,164. Pensacola was Florida's largest city in 1860 with the population of 2,876. As of the census of 2020, there were 509,905 people in the Pensacola metropolitan area ( MSA ). As of the 2020 United States census , there were 54,312 people, 22,926 households, and 12,247 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 51,923 people, 23,768 households, and 13,646 families residing in
2145-884: The United States subsequently failed to win the Battle of Pensacola . After the fall of New Orleans in 1862 the Confederacy abandoned the city and it was occupied by the North. In June, 1861, the Pensacola Guards were mustered in as a company in the 1st Florida Infantry Regiment . In 1907–1908 there were 116 Creek in Pensacola who applied for the Eastern Cherokee enrollment, thinking that all Indians were eligible to enroll. Based on Alabama census records, most of these individuals have been found to be descendants of Creek who had migrated to
2210-608: The United States. It is the county seat and only city in Escambia County . It is the principal city of the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area , which had 511,503 residents in 2020. Pensacola is the first settlement established by Europeans in the United States , in 1559. Pensacola was first settled by the Spanish Empire in 1559, predating the establishment of St. Augustine by six years, and
2275-585: The Wesley House, an old Southern mansion located in Eden Gardens State Park in the town of Point Washington , situated on Tucker Bayou off Choctawhatchee Bay . Exterior shots and several interior scenes for 1998's The Truman Show were filmed in Seaside. The 1998 Sega Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure features a level called Emerald Coast. The majority of scenes for Jaws 2 (1978) were filmed in
2340-485: The area were noted through records, travelers' accounts, and paintings of the era, including some by George Washington Sully and George Catlin . Creek women were also recorded in marriages to Spanish men, in court records or deeds. In 1821, with Andrew Jackson as provisional governor, Pensacola became part of the United States. The city was officially incorporated as a municipality in 1822. The Creek continued to interact with European Americans and African Americans, but
2405-466: The city was $ 30,556. About 12.7% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over. The city has been referred to as "The Cradle of Naval Aviation". Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) was the first Naval Air Station commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1914. Tens of thousands naval aviators have received their training there, including John H. Glenn , USMC, who became
2470-557: The city, sparing it the damage received from Ivan the year before. However, hurricane and near-hurricane-force winds were recorded in downtown, causing moderate damage. Pensacola received only a glancing blow from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, resulting in light to moderate damage reported in the area. The aftermath of the extensive damage from Katrina was a dramatic reduction in tourism coming from Louisiana , Mississippi and Alabama . On September 16, 2004, Pensacola and several surrounding areas were devastated by Hurricane Ivan. Pensacola
2535-534: The city. As of the census of 2010, there were 448,991 people in the Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ). The population density was 2,303.5 inhabitants per square mile (889.4/km ). There were 26,848 housing units at an average density of 1,189.4 per square mile (459.2/km ). In 2010, there were 24,524 households, out of which 24.6% had children living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 16.7% had
2600-406: The coast; but in 1561, the effort was abandoned. Some of the survivors eventually sailed to Santa Elena, but another storm struck there. Survivors made their way to Cuba and finally returned to Pensacola, where the remaining fifty at Pensacola were taken back to Veracruz . The Viceroy's advisers later concluded that northwest Florida was too dangerous to settle. They ignored it for 137 years. In
2665-531: The conventions, newspaper editors meet and discuss various publishing related topics. An informal convention had taken place in New Orleans after the organization's founding. The organization's first formal convention took place on February 23, 1886, in Cincinnati, Ohio . Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( / ˌ p ɛ n s ə ˈ k oʊ l ə / PEN -sə- KOH -lə ) is a city in the Florida Panhandle in
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2730-482: The dominant whites increasingly imposed their binary racial classifications: white and black ("colored", within which were included free people of color , including Indians). However, American Indians and mestizos were identified separately in court and Catholic church records, and as Indians in censuses up until 1840, attesting to their presence in the society. After that, the Creek were not separately identified as Indian, but
2795-613: The first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, and Neil Armstrong , who became the first man to set foot on the Moon in 1969. The Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels , is stationed there. The National Museum of Naval Aviation is located on the Naval Air Station and is free to the public. The museum cares for and exhibits hundreds of vintage Naval Aviation aircraft and preserves
2860-552: The first four days of the month recorded highs reaching the century mark. The highest temperature ever recorded in the city was 106 °F (41 °C) on July 14, 1980. In the 1991–2020 climate normals, the daily average temperature in January is 53.2 °F (11.8 °C). Freezing temperatures occur an average of 11 days per winter, with the average first and last dates for a freeze being December 12 and February 14, giving Pensacola an average growing season of 301 days. However,
2925-648: The history of Naval Aviation through displays, symposiums, IMAX movies and tours. Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station serves as an annex for the main base and the Center for Information Warfare Training Command . CWO3 Gary R. Schuetz Memorial Health Clinic is at Corry Station, Naval Hospital Pensacola, as is the main Navy Exchange and Defense Commissary Agency commissary complex for both Corry Station and NAS Pensacola. The Army National Guard B Troop 1-153 Cavalry, Bravo Company 146th Expeditionary Signal Battalion
2990-475: The incorporated city limits of Pensacola are relatively small, there are numerous census designated places (CDPs) located immediately outside of the incorporated city limits that are widely considered to be Pensacola. Due to their proximity to the city limits, their mailing addresses being listed as Pensacola, and lack of independent government services apart from the City of Pensacola and Escambia County. While residents of these CDPs have rejected incorporation into
3055-814: The invitation. Once the American War of Independence had broken out, the colonists remained overwhelmingly loyal to the Crown. In 1778 the Willing Expedition proceeded with a small force down the Mississippi, ransacking estates and plantations, until they were eventually defeated by a local militia. In the wake of this, the area received a small number of British reinforcements. British military resources were limited and Pensacola ranked fairly low on their list of priorities. For this reason only small token amounts of British military forces were ever sent to defend Pensacola. This
3120-567: The largest military bases in America), Tyndall Air Force Base , Coastal Systems Station-Naval Surface Warfare Center (home to the Navy Experimental Diving Unit and Naval Diving & Salvage Training Center), and Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center . Two other military bases, Duke Field and Naval Air Station Whiting Field are also in the area but are located inland from the coast. The well-established military presence in
3185-487: The late 17th century, the French began exploring the lower Mississippi River with the intention of colonizing the region as part of La Louisiane or New France in North America. Fearful that Spanish territory would be threatened, the Spanish founded a new settlement in western Florida. In 1698 they established a fortified town near what is now Fort Barrancas , laying the foundation for permanent European-dominated settlement of
3250-450: The latter of which documented the name "Bay of Ochuse". In the age of sailing ships Pensacola was the busiest port on the Gulf of Mexico, having the deepest harbor on the Gulf. On August 15, 1559, Tristán de Luna y Arellano landed with some 1,500 people on 11 ships from Veracruz , Mexico. The expedition was to establish an outpost, ultimately called Santa María de Ochuse by Luna, as
3315-513: The modern city of Pensacola. The Spanish built three presidios in Pensacola: During the early years of settlement, a triracial creole society developed. As a fortified trading post, the Spanish had mostly men stationed here. Some married or had unions with Pensacola, Creek or African women, both slave and free, and their descendants created a mixed-race population of mestizos and mulattos . The Spanish encouraged fugitive slaves from
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#17328524596293380-657: The nickname "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" (and several saltwater world records) and Panama City Beach hosting the annual high-dollar Bay Point Billfish Invitational. The area has many seafood restaurants. On 15 October 2019, the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved a new “destination logo” that the Tourist Development Council had recommended, to be introduced in the TDC's new marketing campaign beginning in January 2020. The “Emerald Coast” will be dropped for
3445-649: The people did not disappear. Even after removal of many Seminole to Indian Territory, Indians, often of mixed-race but culturally identifying as Muskogean, lived throughout Florida. St. Michael's Cemetery was established in the 18th century at a location in a south central part of the city, which developed as the Downtown area. Initially owned by the Church of St. Michael, it is now owned and managed by St. Michael's Cemetery Foundation of Pensacola, Inc. Preliminary studies indicate that there are over 3,200 marked burials as well as
3510-474: The peoples were part of a broader regional and even continental network of relations. The best-known Pensacola culture site in terms of archeology is the Bottle Creek site, a large site located 59 mi (95 km) west of Pensacola north of Mobile, Alabama . This site has at least 18 large earthwork mounds, five of which are arranged around a central plaza. Its main occupation was from 1250 CE to 1550. It
3575-521: The region has led to many film appearances, the earliest being the practice takeoff runs by Doolittle Raiders for Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo , shot at Peel Field , an auxiliary field at Eglin Field , in 1944. Some scenes in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High , another film about World War II, were also shot at Eglin. The 1972 eco-horror film Frogs was filmed in Walton County, Florida , in and around
3640-549: The region, in the Navarre area. Interiors for the youth's pinball hang-out were filmed in Fort Walton Beach at the now-razed original location of Hog's Breath Saloon on Okaloosa Island , and Bruce the Shark's control sled was placed on the bottom of the Gulf off Navarre Beach and the mainland community of Navarre . "Redneck Riviera" is the title of a song by Tom T. Hall (from his 1996 album Songs from Sopchoppy ) about this region and
3705-624: The relatively recent winter season of 2018-19 did not record a freeze, the median first and last freeze dates are earlier and later than the averages of December 12 and February 14, and the median number of freezes per season is 11 or fewer. The mean coldest temperature reached in a given winter season is about 24 °F (−4.4 °C); although the median is slightly higher, at no colder than 25 °F (−3.9 °C) most years, placing Pensacola in USDA zone 9b. Temperatures below 20 °F (−6.7 °C) are very rare, and last occurred on January 8, 2015, when
3770-457: Was a ceremonial center for the Pensacola people and a gateway to their society. This site would have had easy access by a dugout canoe , the main mode of transportation used by the Pensacola. The area's written recorded history begins in the 16th century, with documentation by Spanish explorers who were the first Europeans to reach the area. The expeditions of Pánfilo de Narváez in 1528 and Hernando de Soto in 1539 both visited Pensacola Bay,
3835-472: Was a pattern repeated in many Southern settlements. Children of white fathers and Indian mothers were not designated as Indian in the late 19th century, whereas children of blacks or mulattos were classified within the black community, related to laws during the slavery years. Pensacola experienced the Civil War when in 1861 Confederate forces lost the nearby Battle of Santa Rosa Island and federal forces of
3900-574: Was abandoned due to a significant hurricane and not re-established until 1698. Pensacola is a seaport on Pensacola Bay , which is protected by the barrier island of Santa Rosa and connects to the Gulf of Mexico . A large United States Naval Air Station , the first in the United States, is located in Pensacola. It is the base of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team and the National Naval Aviation Museum . The University of West Florida
3965-562: Was conquered again by the US in 1818. In 1819, Spain and the United States negotiated the Adams–Onís Treaty , by which Spain recognized the American control over Florida in exchange of the American recognition of Spanish control over Texas . A Spanish census of 1820 indicated 181 households in the town, with a third of mixed-blood . The people were predominantly French and Spanish Creole. Indians in
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#17328524596294030-448: Was elected president of the organization. In 1891, Edwin William Stephens became the sixth president of National Editorial Association after a discussion at the organization's seventh annual convention. The National Editorial Association changed its name to the National Newspaper Association after a Dallas, Texas , meeting in 1964. Since the organization's founding, the National Newspaper Association has held an annual news convention. At
4095-435: Was established. The structure of the colony was modeled after the existing British colonies in America , as opposed to French Canada , which was based on a different structure. West Florida was invited to send delegates to the First Continental Congress which was convened to present colonial grievances against the British Parliament to George III , but along with several other colonies, including East Florida, they declined
4160-516: Was in contrast to colonies such as South Carolina, where large numbers of British soldiers were sent. After Spain joined the American Revolution in 1779 on the side of the rebels, Spanish forces captured the city in the 1781 Siege of Pensacola , gaining control of West Florida. After the war, the British officially ceded both West Florida and East Florida to Spain as part of the post-war peace settlement . In 1785 many Creek from southern Alabama and Georgia came to trade and Pensacola developed as
4225-443: Was on the eastern side of the eyewall , which sent a large storm surge into Escambia Bay ; this destroyed most of the I-10 Escambia Bay Bridge . The storm knocked 58 spans off the eastbound and westbound bridges and misaligned another 66 spans, forcing the bridge to close to traffic in both directions. The surge also destroyed the fishing bridge that spanned Pensacola Bay alongside the Phillip Beale Memorial Bridge, locally known as
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